Nigeria has ranked 15th among 56 Commonwealth countries in a new Youth AI Readiness Index, emerging as one of only three African nations to meet the study’s benchmark for young people’s preparedness to benefit from artificial intelligence (AI).
The country scored 54.5 out of 100 in the inaugural Ayre Index: 2026 Commonwealth Youth AI Readiness Index, placing it just above the benchmark of 53 points. Mauritius, ranked eighth with 64.4 points, and South Africa, ranked 13th with 56.8 points, were the other African countries to meet the threshold.
The ranking places Nigeria among 15 Commonwealth countries considered to have the conditions needed to help young people aged 15 to 29 benefits from AI, while 41 countries fell below the benchmark.
Unveiled at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, the study examined 1,128 research sources covering approximately 732 million young people across the 56 member countries.
Nigeria’s performance was driven partly by strong enthusiasm for AI among its estimated 65.7 million young people. About 90 per cent of Nigerian youths surveyed said they expected to use AI for education or work within the following year, the highest proportion recorded in the Index. Also, 67.8 per cent expressed confidence in controlling their interactions with the technology.
The country also recorded the highest rate of participation in work-based learning among 31 Commonwealth countries with comparable data, with 84 out of every 1,000 young people engaged in apprenticeships, internships or traineeships.
However, the study identified significant skills gaps, awarding Nigeria just 0.8 out of 10 for digital, data, media and AI capability under its selected measures. It highlighted the need to translate young people’s enthusiasm into practical technical skills, businesses and sustainable employment.
The economic potential is substantial. The study estimates that AI could raise Nigeria’s GDP level by $5.234 billion after 10 years under its moderate scenario, with projections ranging from $2.617 billion in the conservative case to $7.851 billion in the optimistic scenario.
The report acknowledged government initiatives, including the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, AI Academy Nigeria and the National AI Innovation Challenge, as efforts to expand practical AI skills and local innovation.
It recommended affordable technology access, practical education, stronger links between training and employment, locally relevant AI tools and safeguards that enable young people to question automated decisions.